Project Freelancer Chronicles: Michigan's Story
by Lost In Hopeless Love
Summary: This is a story about Agent Michigan of Project Freelancer. OC story, based off the Red vs. Blue universe. Red vs. Blue copyright Rooster Teeth 2009
1. Chapter 1

-------------------------------------------------------------  
_Freelancer Home Base aka "Standoff"_

Aaron Kane takes several deep breaths before slowly lifting his hand up and knocking on the heavy wooden door. After a few seconds a loud, heavily accented voice yells, "Enter!" Aaron's heart is racing at the thought of getting this new job. He turns the handle and enters into the small office of the Director of Project Freelancer, Dr. Leonard Church.

Dr. Church looked up from his papers and, seeing this new recruit, he changes his tone from gruff to welcoming, as to make a good first impression. "Hello, are you Private 1st class Aaron Kane? Please, take a seat." He said motioning to the chair directly in front of his desk.

Aaron was shocked at the suddenness of the change in tones. As he slowly walks in, he scans the small room. The only thing that sparked his interest was the cane that the Director was using, and the black man sitting in a chair, writing in a note pad. Aaron quickly realized that this was the Councilor, who was the Director's right-hand man.

Seeing Aaron's attention had shifted to the Councilor, Leonard clears his throat, not impatiently, but just to shake the focus of the young recruit. Leonard had read this kid's file. He has graduated collage with a 4 year diploma in advanced Artificial Intelligence research. And he was, in the Director's opinion, the best soldier in his unit. He achieved all of this before age 22. His file also said, that he joined the army at 17, they made "a special exception" for him because of his accuracy tests, and his scores on the training missions that they put him through. Leonard was definitely impressed with Aaron. But it all came down to the interview.

After Aaron took his seat the interview finally began. "So, Aaron," the Director said. "I understand that you are only 22, but your file says that you have a four year degree in Artificial Intelligence research. How is that possible?"

Aaron, not wanting to lose his cool, took a couple more calming breaths before starting. "Well, I don't really like talking about this, but I was very smart as a kid. I was always being put in advanced classes. So I graduated High School earlier than most kids my age. So when the collage saw my record, they were astonished, and let me in a year early."

"Well, that's quite some achievement. And it also says here that you joined the army at the age of 17, when the minimum age requirement is 18." Leonard said, not looking up from his file.

"Yes, I lied about my age for them to let me try an accuracy test, and I did the best out of everyone there. Someone even said that I was better than Agent Washington. I didn't know who that was at first, but I went home and researched his name on the web, and I found a whole lot of stuff on Project Freelancer." '_Hopefully, he won't know that I had to hack my way in…_' "And that's how I heard of this job opening, I feel bad to say this, but I am grateful for the opening. But I am truly sorry for the loss of poor Agent Carolina. How did she die again? Drug overdose?"

Leonard looked up in astonishment. How did this kid know so much? Was he a friend to Carolina? He didn't have time to figure out, but instead he stood up and extended a hand and said, "Welcome to Project Freelancer, Agent Michigan."


	2. Chapter 2

-------------------------------------------------------------  
_Freelancer Housing Facility_

Aaron was still absorbing all of this new information as he lay on his bed in his hotel-room sized block in the Freelancer housing facility. He was just about to drift off to sleep when there was a loud, sharp knock at the door. Aaron, still half asleep, got up, and walked over to the door, sliding it open.

"Agent Michigan, I am Drill Sergeant O'Riley! I am the one that will command you every day on training! I expect to see you in the shooting range at 0500 tomorrow morning, gun cleaned, and ready to go! Do I make myself clear?"

Aaron, familiar with all of this, salutes the Sergeant. "Sir, yes, sir!"

The Drill Sergeant looks Aaron up and down. "Dismissed!" He yells. As he's walking away Aaron hears, "I'm glad one of 'em doesn't try put themselves above me."

Aaron chuckles to himself as he shuts the door and sits back on the bed. With nothing better to do he takes apart his pistol, cleans it, and puts it back together. Looking on his watch, he only took 1:30 to clean and repair it. A record time for him. Then, for the first time, he noticed the time, 1900, or 7:00, it was dinner time in the mess hall. Now that he was thinking about food, his stomach gave a groan, as if to persuade him to get something to eat.

-------------------------------------------------------------  
_Freelancer Mess Hall_

Walking in to the mess hall, the smell of poorly cooked meat wafts into his nose, making him gag. He missed the food back in New York. Not the city. He lived in a small town. There he used to grow blueberry bushes out in his backyard. And, when he was a boy, he used to run out there before dinner, and eat as much as he can so mom's cooking wouldn't make him go hungry. Right now, he missed those home-cooked meals.

The line for food was almost non-existent. There we're only about fifteen or sixteen people eating food from here, others had food sent from home. But he got his half-cooked steak and was looking for a place to sit.

"Hey! Rookie! We've got a place over here!" Someone yelled from across the room. Aaron looked over at the person standing. It was Agent North Dakota. He and his sister, South Dakota, never really separated. "I heard we got a new recruit. What's your name kid?" North said with apparent interest.

"My name is Aaro-"

"No, not your name. Your _name_."

"What? Oh, yeah. My name is Agent Michigan. I'm here to take the place of Carolina."

South spoke up, angrily. "What are they just going to replace us if we die? Great, then this is all for nothing!"

North comforted her. "South, you're not going to die. Even if you do, they can't replace you anyway…There running out of states." We all chuckle a little bit and some of the tension is relived.

North looked back at Aaron, "Ok, everyone gets a nickname around here, so I guess we can call you, Mitch."

Aaron, looking utterly confused. "Alright, then what are your nicknames?"

North laughed, "I'm North and she's South. It's the only difference in our names, so we can't both be called 'Dakota'."

Aaron chuckled uncomfortably. "Yeah, I guess that makes sense." Just as he was about to dig in, the loud speaker clicked on.

_Agent Michigan, please report to the Councilor's office immediately.  
Agent Michigan, please report to the Councilor's office immediately._

Aaron slams his fork on the table. "Common! I can't rest for five frickin' seconds with out someone knocking on my door, or calling me to an office."

South grunts. "Welcome to Project Freelancer. North and I both had to deal with the exact same thing, only worse." North just nods his head in agreement, all his attention is on Agent Massachusetts, Agent Idaho's girlfriend. South looked over at her brother, following his gaze. Once her eyes reach the spot, she sighs, and cuffs North hard in the back of the head. "North! I told you, stop staring at her, or you're going to end up like Maine!"

Aaron gets up, still laughing, and walks to the Councilors office. He had no idea where to go. He stopped twice to get directions, which sent him around the whole complex. He asked one more Agent where to go, and he sent him through a training exercise. Finally after about 30 minutes of wondering the complex, and getting shot by paint balls, he found the right room. This time he didn't stop to take any calming breaths and just knocked.

"Enter." He heard a calm voice say. As Aaron opened the door, the man continued. "Ahh, yes, Agent Michigan. I still need to evaluate you. We are taking more caution in choosing what AI go to what agents." He took out a slim metal case and pulled out a cigar. Clipping off the end, he lit it with a lighter in the shape of a mini pistol. "Now, I need to ask you a few questions. First, has there been any history of mental disease in your family?" Aaron shook his head no. "Ok, and has there ever been any genetic diseases that we should know about?" Aaron shook his head no again. "Alright, that's really all I need to know now, for now. After you go through a day or two of training, I think that you will be able to be paired with an AI."


	3. Chapter 3

--------------------------------------------------------------  
_Freelancer Barracks, Housing unit #187_

Michigan smashed the alarm snooze button down as the time reached 0500. With a groan, he hauled himself out of bed and into the bathroom for a quick shower. A couple minutes later he hears a bang on the door. And an anonymous voice calls out, "Hey Mitch, are you ready for training yet?" Michigan instantly recognized the voice of Agent North Dakota, whom he just met yesterday.

Michigan, still not used to being called 'Mitch', yells back, "Yeah, just let me put this armor on." Ever since he enlisted in the army, he has never asked to wear armor or a helmet, so this preparation was new to him. Shortly after he left the councilor's office he was paged to go to the Armory. Once he got there, he was given his own Battle Rifle, for training, his own M6D Magnum, and his own suit of sapphire full body armor. He was told that the helmet was equipped with a Hi-Fi wireless radio, voice amplifier (with volume control), and a voice changer. His visor was equipped with night vision, thermal vision, and combat vision, apparently this turned his friendlies green, and the enemies red. The lab technician told him that function only when he got his AI.

On the body, the technician told him that the right arm piece had the controls displayed, and everything was controlled from that one spot when his AI was either offline, or working on something else. There was a gravity alteration module. And of course the standard HUD options, like vitals, and com channels. When the technician was done, he just rushed Michigan out the door, without explaining how to put any of the armor on.

After the shower, everything was still wet, so parts easily slid on, but he was still having trouble. He was struggling with his chest plate, when North bangs on the door again.

"Dude! You almost ready? We're going to be late!"

"Sorry North, I'm just having a little trouble with my chest plate! Can you come in and help? Door, command; Open" With that voice command, the door slides open with a swoosh and North, fully dressed in his purple battle armor walks in and grabs the chest plate and snaps it in place. Michigan just stares at him in amazement. "How-how-how…"

North looks at Michigan, annoyed with his incompetence, "Listen we don't have time, just hold still while… I … there. Now we can go"

Michigan picked up his helmet and holstered his side arm, and walked out the door saying, "Thanks North, you have to teach me how to do that… It's going to get really awkward when we have to go into war, and you're standing there, dressing me up."

They both laughed walking down the hall towards the training complex.

_Freelancer Shooting Range 51-A_

"Agent Utah, and… Agent Michigan! You're first up. You each have one clip of BR ammo, and one clip of Magnum ammo. Take out as many enemies as possible. You will be working as a team, you need a combined score of 50 kills to pass." Drill Sergeant O'Riley looks up at the control room, and says, "We're ready, start simulation number three-delta."

Utah walked out on the range, putting on her helmet as she walked up to the firing line. She turned to face Michigan, and says "You know, I've heard you're a pretty good shot, so there's noting to be nervous about… right?" Agent Michigan looked up at her, his gaze penetrating the yellow of her visor, and he could tell that she would be a good person to get to know.

Agent Michigan fastened his helmet to his head and walked confidently up to the firing line. Pulling out his pistol. He looks over at Utah, wearing the biggest smile he knew that she couldn't see and he said, "Let's do this."

_Freelancer Mess Hall_

"100% accuracy! You and Utah make a great team! That's really impressive! Oh man. I am so glad I made friends with you!" North said to Michigan for the umpteenth time. Michigan couldn't help but smile at this accomplishment. South said that the drill sergeant had the people in the control room take the simulation to it's highest difficulty right in the middle, and they still got 100%

This time he knew that he was going to be called somewhere so he just stood by their table and waited for the announcement to come over the loud speaker. It wasn't until about 15 minutes later that he was finally paged to the science complex.

"Hey, North, stop by my room tonight, so you can teach me how to put my armor on." Michigan says quietly to North before he walked out. I could hear South choke on her burger as she struggled not to laugh.

--------------------------------------------------------------  
_AI Implantation Room 12_

Michigan knew how to get to this room from past experience. This was one of the wings he had to pass in order to get to the counselor's office, he knew that he'd have to go there at one point, so he made a note of it in his head.

The counselor came into the implantation room with Michigan's file in hand. "Hello Agent Michigan. We, the Director and I, have chosen your AI carefully. We have decided to give you the AI Xi. Now, if you just lay back and relax, the sugary will be complete shortly."

Michigan felt the pinch of a needle at the base of his skull and then numbness from the neck down. One of the nurses placed the anesthetic mask over Michigan's mouth and he drifted off to sleep.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------

_Unknown Location_

-----------------------------------

Agent Michigan woke up and for a second, forgot where he was. He tried to rip off the wires leading into his skin and but he soon found his arms were bound to the bed. He tried to move his feet up but found that they were bound too. "NURSE!!" He yelled at the top of his lungs. A woman walked in and she was young and attractive, and somehow familiar.

"Good morning Agent Michigan, I'm Agent Arizona. You're in the sick bay at the Freelancer facility. What do you remember?" She said, undoing the bonds that held Michigan to the hospital bed.

"Well I remember doing really well in a shooting exercise with Agent Utah, and then going to the science complex for the AI implantation process and then succumbing to the anesthetic, and waking up here." He said, rubbing his wrists where the straps held him. "But I thought I was getting the AI implantation, where's the little guy, so to speak."

Arizona chuckled. "That surgery was for the AI module, the actual implantation happens when you recover from the surgery."

"When do I recover?"

"About 2 days ago." Arizona says.

"What? How long was I out for?"

"Oh, about 8 days? The anesthetic was more powerful than we thought, so you were out for a while. But, now is implantation time. Get up, and put your armor on." Arizona says as she leaves the room.

Michigan flushed; he still didn't know how to put his armor on. He got up and searched for the pieces that he knew how to put on.

About 5 minutes later, he had everything but his enemy, the chest plate, on. Michigan took a couple seconds to study the chest piece. There were a series of large metal discs on the inside ridge. He remembered North using a lot of force to make it stick, so he slammed the chest piece on, hearing the click, but also knocking the wind out of him. Michigan fell to the ground and took a couple deep breaths.

Arizona poked her head in and said "Ok they're ready for you, just head back to the science wing." She waved good bye to Michigan. " I hope I see you around. Well not here obviously… but you know what I mean."

--------------------------------------------------------------  
_AI Implantation Room 12_

The counselor was waiting for Michigan again. "Hello again Agent Michigan, I'm glad to see you made a full recovery. Are you ready for your Implantation?"

Michigan nodded and for the first time felt the back of his neck, feeling the small plug at the base of his skull. A look of terror spread over his face as he realized what the surgery did to him.

The counselor was ready for the look of terror, he's seen it before, and this time was no different. "Please, Agent Michigan, sit. The implantation process is relatively painless. You may feel nauseous and disoriented for a moment, but it will pass." With that, the counselor pulled out a cable from the computer and attached it to the plug in the base of Michigan's head.

When the plug went in, a hot sensation started at that point and spread all through out his brain. He heard tapping on the keyboard and then one quick tap, and he felt something warmer than the surrounding area sink into his brain, and it makes his eye sight go blurry for a second. Then, without warning, he threw up. He hasn't eaten anything in over a week so all that came up was fowl tasting bile. He retched over and over until he thought his stomach was going to throw itself up. Then it stopped. All the warmness was gone. His eye sight returned to normal, and he was okay.

Then a little gold holographic figure about a foot and a half high, fully clad in armor, projected itself on the floor in front of Michigan.

_'Hello, I am the AI Xi.'_

Michigan looked at the little gold Spartan in disbelief. "Hi Xi, I'm… Mitch."


	4. Chapter 4

-------------------------------------------------------------  
_AI Implantation Room 12_

Michigan couldn't help but stare at the little Spartan.

_'Agent Michigan, I am detecting something abnormal. Are you feeling well?'_

Michigan shook his head vigorously. "Hunh? Sorry Xi, it's just a little shock. I wasn't expecting you to have a ninja helmet."

_'If you and I are to achieve maximum compatibility, you need to worry less about my appearance and more about your health.'_

"I'm fine, just a little disoriented" Michigan mumbled as he stood up.

He was up for about three seconds before he knew he was falling. Darkness was consuming his vision even before he hit the floor. Before he lost consciousness he could see Xi turn a deep shade of maroon as he signaled the medical ward of Michigan's condition. Michigan could've sworn that he heard Xi say something to him.

It sounded like, _'Hang in there Mitch.'_

-------------------------------------------------------------  
_Freelancer Medical Ward Room 2A_

Arizona dealt with all of the agents that had problems with AI implantation. But, from what she's seen from Michigan, this was just standard. But, she was surprised to see the level of commitment Xi had with Michigan after only a couple minutes. She and Lambda took at least three or four months to get to this level of commitment. Every time Arizona walked in the room, the golden AI manifested itself and asked her if Michigan was going to be okay. Frankly, she thought this is annoying, but she wasn't one to complain, Lambda was the same way.

***

Michigan groaned. His head was swimming, and his stomach was doing back flips. All of a sudden a wave of nausea hit him and he tilted his head and retched. Again, his stomach was empty, so only the fowl tasting bile came up. Hearing rushed foots steps coming to the door; he tried his best to regain his composure. Looking up he saw the face of Arizona staring back at him.

"Michigan! I'm glad to see that you are awake! This time you were only out for a few hours. It's normal, so don't worry." Arizona truly felt sorry for him. She wished she could've told him about the other, worse cases, but that was classified information.

Michigan gave Arizona a weak smile and said, "Don't worry Az, I'll be fine. I've been through worse where I come from." Michigan grew up in a small town in New York. They didn't have a hospital in his town, and when he was a kid, there was an out break of influenza and he was infected. It took paramedics a week to get every case cured. Michigan himself was one of the last cured. Michigan began taking off the wires on his body, when Arizona rushed over to him.

"Mitch, I can't let you leave. Not yet, at least." She said, pushing him back into the bed. "Lambda, instruction, contact the Councilor, and tell him that Michigan is awake." 2 minutes later, the Councilor was walking through the door, the AI technician, Chuck, following shortly after.

"Agent Michigan, I'm glad to see that you are awake. I would like you to just take it easy for now. After you fully recover, then I will allow you to assume active duty once again."

Chuck steps up. "AI program Xi, instruction, online."

Xi's golden form came up so fast, it looked like he waiting for that cue to just pop up.

_'What is it, sir?'_

"Run a diagnostic on Agent Michigan. Focus primarily on mental aspects of his health." Arizona said, taking over.

There was an odd feeling from the wire port in the back of Michigan's head as Xi's mind worked.

_'Diagnostic complete. There is only slight mental discomfort, but I think that is just a side effect of the AI implantation.'_

Michigan spoke up. "No X, that's just because everyone is crowded around me."

_'My Apologies.'_

"Don't worry about it, X"

The Councilor clears his throat. "Agent Michigan, I will allow you to return to Active Duty today, if you think that you are ready."

Michigan nods, already unfastening the wires that are attached to his body.

-------------------------------------------------------------  
_**From the desk of Dr. Leonard Church**_

_Subject #524-32876-3423_

Name: Aaron Kane

Age: 22

Code Name: Agent Michigan

Status: Active/ Implanted

AI unit: Xi. Alpha Fragment #14

Shortly after implantation, the subject passed out. The AI Xi alerted the medical ward before Agent Michigan was fully incapacitated. This shows optimum AI/host interaction. Subject #524-32876-3423 will be activated as recovery agent #10 after the subject has made a full recovery.


	5. Chapter 5

-------------------------------------------------------------  
_Location Unknown_

"Utah, grunts; three o'clock" Michigan screamed into his helmet mic, emptying his magazine into the on coming group of jackals.

_'Michigan, more jackals coming from south-west.'  
_  
Michigan spun around and threw a grenade, taking the whole group out.

"Mitch, I'm out! Cover me!" Utah screams as she dives for a near by ammo crate. A grunt takes out two live plasma grenades and charges at Utah, who is too busy with the ammo to notice. Michigan tries to shoot at him, but his gun jams. As a last ditch effort Michigan dives at the grunt, knocking it to the ground. He breaks the grunts neck, but he didn't notice that it already stuck the plasma grenades to his back.

A bright flash of light filled Michigan's vision and the grunts fizzled out. Michigan felt a hand on his back, then a smack to the back of the head.

"You idiot, we were doing so well! You had to be a hero, didn't you?" Utah said picking Michigan up. He took off his helmet and just looked at her.

"It was either you or me. And I didn't what you to be the cause of our failure." He said lowering his voice.

Utah hesitated a few seconds before taking off her helmet. Her cheeks were slightly red. "You can't let personal feelings get in the way here." She said ruffling Michigan's hair. "I'm going to get some breakfast; we can try that simulation again later today." She said walking away, waving.

After Utah is far enough away he activates Xi. "Hey, X? You can tell emotional levels of others, and not just me… right?"

Xi appears on Michigan's shoulder. _'Yes, why do you ask?'_

"Well, Utah was smiling and it looked like she was blushing. What was she feeling right then?"

_'One moment, please… She was feeling happiness. Just mere friendliness though.'  
_  
Michigan looked down. "Oh, thanks X." Michigan walked to his room in the barracks.

-------------------------------------------------------------  
_Office of Dr. Leonard Church_

Leonard sighed as he looked at the piles upon piles of papers he had to go through before the end of the day. The first file was the report of the death of Agent Montana. He was lost as part of an assignment from another department. "If we keep losing freelancers at this rate, we won't have any left." He signed the bottom of the form and placed it to the side. He picked up the next folder on the pile and looked at the top page. "Ahh, agent Michigan, the star of the new recruits." Agent Michigan was the only new recruit that showed any promise. He was recently paired with Agent Utah, who was the best of her recruitment group. Together they made one hell of a team. They were both to be activated to Outpost 143-X, a human base located on a Covenant planet. The original plan was to activate agents Michigan and Utah as recovery agents 10 and 11. But, they hold so much more potential as field agents. He signed both pages several times and got on his phone and called his secretary. "Sorry to bother you, but can you please page agents Michigan and Utah to my office? Thank you." A few seconds, he hears over the P.A. system;

_Agents Utah and Michigan please report to the Director's office at once.  
Agents Utah and Michigan please report to the Director's office at once._

-------------------------------------------------------------  
_Freelancer Barracks, Housing unit #187_

Michigan was finally out of his armor when he heard the page to the Director's office. But, what was strange was that agent Utah was paged also, so obviously it was about something important. He strapped on a pair of black dress like shoes and picked up his side arm and set off to the Director's office. "Hey X, what's going on? Do you know?" Xi appeared in Michigan's field of vision.

_'I don't Mitch. I would think that it would have to do with today's training.'_

"That makes sense. I'm probably going to get some type of punishment for that move I made to protect agent Utah."

_'I think that was a very noble thing to do, Mitch.'_

"Haha, thanks X. At least I know you'll have my back."

Xi disappears as Michigan knocks on the Director's office door. Agent Michigan hears the same booming, "Enter," that he heard when he first started here. He chuckled as he walked in the room. Utah was already sitting in a chair across from the director. "Hello agent Michigan. Please, take a seat." Michigan looks at Utah, whose orange hair is back in a pony tail. The Director cleared his throat and spoke. "You both are going to be sent to Outpost 143-X, to aid in the take over of the Covenant planet, Varldoaari. The shuttle will leave in a week. You are to continue training as usual, and in one week, you are to report to the shuttle at 0500." Utah looked at Michigan with a look saying, this is going to be awesome. Michigan nodded back. Xi manifested on the desk before the Director along with Nu, Utah's AI. Nu shined a soft pink on the desk, mixing with Xi's golden color.

**'Hello Xi and Agent Michigan, I am Nu.'**

_'And I am Xi.'_

The two AI nodded at each other and turned to their respective owners.

_**'Let's do this.' **_They said in unison.


	6. Chapter 6

-------------------------------------------------------------  
_Freelancer Barracks, Housing unit #187_

Michigan lays back on his bed, and thought about what the Director said to him. This was the chance that he was waiting for. Coming into the program, he heard that 80% of the agents become recovery agents. He sighed happily, closing his eyes. One week. I can't wait. He was placed with Agent Utah, his best friend. She and North were his best, and only, friends. Xi was his friend, but the A.I. was a completely different story. Xi was part of him now. Xi was Michigan's whole life.

"Hey X? You know I love you right?" Michigan said to the empty room. Xi appeared on Michigan's chest.

'I feel a strong attraction to you also, Mitch.'

Michigan got up and opened the door, Xi transferring to his shoulder. He walked slowly to Utah's unit. He knocked softly and she opened the door a bit. Utah took one look at Michigan and closed the door slightly.

"What do you want?" She asked in a harsh tone.

Michigan pushed his way in and shut the door behind him. Utah sat on the edge of her bed, side arm in hand. Michigan sat next to her and slung his arm over his shoulder. She stood up and turned away from him. He walked up behind her and hugged her from behind.

"Utah, talk to me."

She just stood there and spoke.

"I didn't want to be sent to war. I wanted to be a recovery agent. I am good at finding people." She turns to face him. "Aaron, I'm scared." She wraps her arms around him.

"It'll be ok Jackie. We were chosen because we are the best. Do you think that they would send us if they didn't think that we weren't ready?"

She looks him in they eye and without warning she kisses him lightly on the lips.

-------------------------------------------  
_One week later_

The pelican's engines scream as the ship lands on the desert planet of Varldoaari. Michigan looked around, the ship landed right next to ruins. A platoon of Marines carries supplies into the ruins, signifying that it's the base. Utah waked off and Michigan put his arm around her waist and smiles at her. "Watch it Michigan. You can't let personal feelings get in the way for right now." She said, kissing him quickly. A marine walks up to them, obviously the C.O. at the base. He salutes Michigan and Utah.

"It's a pleasure to have you both here. I hope you find your commendations suitable." He said lowering his arm.

Michigan salutes back. "Thank you, sir. I would like to take a look at your equipment. I'm pretty good with military technology."

"If you would follow me, I'll lead you to it." He said walking in the base.

"Oh, sir? I would appreciate it if you would get a marine to unpack my armor for me." Michigan said, already absorbed in his work.


	7. Chapter 7

--------------------------------------------------------------

[I] Outpost 143-X: Communication's Department[/I]

--------------------------------------------------------------

Michigan and Utah insisted on sharing a room. But, they also insisted that they would be alone. Mitch knew, being freelancers, they would get what they wanted. While Utah was resting in their rooms, Michigan was hard at work fixing the Outpost's communication equipment. He was good at what he did, and he was quick.

[color=olive] 'Mitch, I'm detecting Covenant forces coming. They are in attacking formation. Shall I contact Agent Utah?'[/color]

Michigan strapped on his helmet and looked at the radar. Sure enough, large red blips on the radar we're moving ever closer to his position. He switched to regular viewing mode, and made his way to the Barracks. He reached his room, and Utah was already putting her armor on. She looked up at the sound of Michigan entering the room.

"Mitch, Nu said that there was a Covenant fleet coming this way. She said E.T.A. 5 minutes."

Michigan nodded and loaded a round into the chamber of his side arm. His battle rifle was strapped across his back , he was ready for action. Utah stood up straight and put her helmet under her arm. She walked toward Michigan and stared into his reflective visor. She smiled at him, and he lifted the helmet off his head. Her mouth was attached to his before he got the helmet fully off of his head. After a few seconds of this, Utah finally released her boyfriend.

"Mitch, be careful out there. I don't want to lose you so soon." She hugged him tightly, as if for the last time.

Michigan chuckled. "So soon? So, you wouldn't mind if I got killed, say… five years from now?"

Utah giggled and blushed slightly at her poor choice of words. "That's not what I meant! And you know it!" She playfully punched him in the arm. She slid her helmet on top of her head. The alarm for incoming attack sounded and everyone started moving about, readying for the inevitable attack.

--------------------------------------------------------------

[I] Outpost 143-X; Front Gates[/I]

--------------------------------------------------------------

Barricades we're set up along the outside gates, and down the main hallway. The load hum of a Wraith's engine can be heard from over the horizon. Mitch and Utah were among the front lines, watching for the first of the Covenant forces to peak over.

A lonely Grunt walked over the edge, only to be met by Utah's sniper bullet. After the Grunts body fell, all hell broke loose. The group from the outpost was met with three Phantom's worth of Brutes. The ten of the Brutes carried Gravity Hammers. Thirteen of them carried Brute Shots, while the rest carried Spikers.

Then came the vehicles. Five Ghosts, three Wraiths, and a Scarab tank. Utah slid her visor up and looked at Mitch.

"How are we going to do this?" She asked in a worried voice, her chocolate brown eyes piercing Michigan's yellow reflective visor. He raised his visor as well, looking her in the eyes.

"Don't worry Utah… I'll be fine." He said winking at her.

He focused his attention toward the invading Covenant, sliding his visor shut and enabling his PA system in his armor.

"Only engage on my mark!" He shouted to the troops of the outpost, looking down the sight of his Battle Rifle, zeroing in on the nearest Brute, which was about ninety feet away. "Five…" Eighty feet away. "Four…" Seventy feet away. "Three…" Sixty feet away. "Two…" Fifty feet away. "One…" Forty feet away. "MARK" The Covenant we're thirty feet away when the first Brute fell by Michigan's hand.

Shots rang out from all around the two freelancers. A couple of Brutes threw spike grenades at a group of Marines, sticking two of them and hitting the ground next to another group. The terrified screams of the Marines were heard for about three seconds before the grenades exploded, sending spikes into the bodies of the soldiers surrounding the three Spike grenades.

Xi shined into existence. [color=olive] ;Michigan, the best course of action would be for you and Utah to split up. You should flank from the right side, while Utah stays here, to provide covering fire.'[/color]

Michigan looked over at Utah, and using their own secure radio channel, he explained Xi's plan to her, and she, reluctantly agreed.

"I love you, Utah." He said, running toward his position.

He barely heard her return his feelings before he rushed in, firing at a couple of minor Brutes, carrying Spikers. They fired back, the weak spikes being deflected by his anti gravitational suit enhancement. He threw a frag into the center of the mass of Brutes, taking a few out, and wounding more around the dead ones.

Xi spoke in his head. [color=olive] 'Mitch, the energy reserves for your anti gravity system is low. I advise you to switch it off soon.'[/color]

Michigan nodded as the gravity around him returns to normal. He continues firing at the Brutes, killing them off one by one. The Brutes fire back, some of the spikes sticking in Michigan's armor, causing the shields to drop slowly. He picked up a couple Spike grenades and tossed them into the group, finishing off the minor Brutes.

He was reloading his Battle Rifle when an explosion drained his shields. He dove out of the way as a Brute Shot grenade flew passed his body, hitting a sand dune behind him, causing the sand to fly into the air. Michigan lobbed a spike grenade over the wall and heard the Brute start to rage when an explosion told him that he was finished.

He poked his head up when he didn't hear any movement. He saw that the remaining Brutes were all dead. Bullet wounds to the head. He looked over at Utah, who's attention was on the closest Wraith, and smiled inside his helmet.

He waited until his shields were charged to their maximum capacity before rushing at the Wraith closest to him. The charges from the turret on top of the Wraith was quickly draining his shields. He took aim and fired three times with his Battle rifle. The brute slumped over in the turret seat. He ran around to the back and stuck a frag grenade into the exhaust of the vehicle, the explosion taking out the whole thing. He snickered as the Wraith fell to pieces before him.

He looked around him, there was a Brute with a Gravity Hammer rushing toward him. He was quick with his last spike grenade, charging at the Brute, sticking it to his armor and jumping out of the way, before it exploded. As he hit the dirt, the explosion sent spikes into his own armor, doing more damage to him then the Brute itself.

The explosion, however, rendered the Brute's armor useless. It shook it off, and charged at Michigan, who was still getting up. The Brute raised the hammer over his head, and was bringing it down, as his head exploded in a mass of blood and brain matter. The body fell onto Michigan, pinning him to the ground, for a second. The Brutes saw this and rushed him. By the time he was able to stand up, he had about twenty Brutes with Spikers pointed at him.

He raised his gun and pointed it at the nearest Brute, only to be met by a sharp pain in the back of his neck, exactly where Xi's module is. Xi appeared on the ground in front of Michigan.

[color=olive] 'I'm sorry to do this Mitch… but, I've learned that the Covenant's way is superior to our own, so I've offered to help them. You will now be immobilized for transport.' [/color]

Michigan didn't have any time to react before a surge of energy ran through his body, knocking him unconscious. Before he was out, he switched on his secure channel with Utah, and was able to utter one phrase before his mind was consumed with total darkness.


End file.
